This recipe hearkens back to one of my favorite all-time recipes, an addictively delicious salsa or chopped salad made with Savoy Cabbage and Cherry or Grape tomatoes and raw almond butter. I have not been able to find Savoy Cabbage for many months, since moving temporarily to Florida, but zucchini is readily available, and I have found it perhaps the most versatile type of produce in the grocery store. It provides an excellent neutral, mild backdrop for the almost unctuous dressing made of raw almond butter, olive oil, raw apple cider vinegar, and chopped scallions.

I also included some fresh jalapeno peppers, which only added a bit of mild pepper flavor. Add more if you want full-on heat, or use another kind of pepper.

One thing I want to highlight — roasted almond butter is not an acceptable substitute in these kinds of recipes. It has a much stronger flavor, it has an acidic quality which seems to “melt” the tomatoes into a sloppy mess, almost as if cooking them. And, frankly, most roasted almond butters have a rancid quality that is not apparent in well-cared for almond butter.

Another thing — the kind of “apple cider vinegar” that most people think of when they hear the phrase is also not the same thing as raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar. It is caustic, highly acidic, and very harsh rather than healing and alkalizing to the body.

Raw almond butter is an invaluable ingredient to include in your kitchen because it helps make the most satisfying “meaty”-tasting savory dishes. And because of the current extreme priciness of raw almond butter ($20.70 for a jar at my local Publix grocery store!!!!!), I consider it very analogous to filet mignon.

Great for leftovers!

One of the things I love about these savory chopped salads is that they tend to keep very well in the fridge for a couple days, and being able to grab something in the moment when I am hungry, when I’ve been busy and haven’t had the time to prepare before I get hungry… well, having chopped salads like this around can make all the difference for me between being able to stay high-raw and losing all momentum with the living foods in my diet.

I made this salsa last night and it was wonderful to pop out of the fridge mid-day to grab a few bites with some organic tortilla chips. Because this salad is made with zucchini, it throws off more water than it’s cousin made with the Savoy cabbage, so the salad will be less salty on the second day. If you are having it straight or as a filling for a salad sandwich or a lettuce wrap, just add a bit more salt. But if you are enjoying with salted chips, you won’t need anything extra.

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Recipe for: Zucchini-Grape Tomato Salsa with Raw Almond Butter

• 3 cups chopped peeled zucchini, cut down to the size of small corn kernels (about two small zucchinis)
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes (the sweetness is what you want, here), finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons raw almond butter
• 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
• 1 teaspoon raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon quality natural salt, such as Himalayan Crystal salt
• generous freshly ground black pepper
• 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped green onion (about two small)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno (this amount did not make for a spicy result — use more if you want heat)

Add the almond butter, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, green onion, and jalapeno into a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Then add the zucchini and tomato, and toss well.

Serve alone, as a side dish, with raw chips or organic tortilla chips, or as a filler for a lettuce wrap, a nori roll, or a salad sandwich.

Cover leftovers and store in the fridge. Tastes great room temperature as well as cold. You may wish to add more salt on the following day.

This is sure to become a favorite!

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